Inu Yasha: The Familiar Stranger KenjiroBy -- Ravyn Knyght
"It's not too far off now!" Kagome reported enthusiastically as the presence of a jewel shard grew stronger. As the others prepared for what ever awaited ahead along with the jewel shard, Inu Yasha was preoccupied with something else. 'Again? That's five times today!' he astounded, placing his hand on his Tetsusaiga as it resonated. 'What's causing this?' he wondered. "Inu Yasha?" Miroku called, breaking him from his thoughts. "Yeah, what?" he huffed back, turning to see the others had stopped and were in the middle of eating. He quickly made his way back to them, "You were just gonna let me keep on walkin' so you could have more for yourself. Weren't 'cha?" Inu Yasha growled. "We told you we were stopping but you just ignored us." Shippo chided.
"So what's on your mind?" Kagome asked while handing him a plate of food. Inu Yasha thought for a moment. "Nothin'." he grumbled in his usual manner, as not to arouse suspicion. SLAP! "H-Hey! I was just reaching for a bun!" Miroku cried in defense as Sango's handprint slowly faded from his face. "They're in front of Kirara! Not behind me!" she scolded. "Are you sure it's nothing?" Kagome followed up. "Yeah I'm sure." He muffled back as he plowed into his lunch. As the group ate, a gust of wind brought a familiar scent with it that caused both Kirara and Inu Yasha to react. "Oh no…" Inu Yasha groaned. "What? What's wrong?" Sango questioned, but soon got an answer to her question. "Hey guys! Why'd you leave so early?" Jakotsu called, catching up with them. "I thought we lost her this time for sure!" Inu Yasha muttered while the others gave embarrassed laughs. "Just in time, I'm starving!" Jakotsu declared, plunking herself between Inu Yasha and Kagome. "So where are we off to?" she asked as she slowly nudged Kagome further away. "Just a village up ahead." Miroku mentioned. "Why'd you guys leave so early this morning with out waking me up?" Jakotsu then asked, looking around at the group. They quickly shoveled food into their mouths while giving muffled answers. "Oh well! As long as we're all here it doesn't matter!" Jakostu laughed while giving Inu Yasha a hard slap on the back that caused him to choke on his food.
As night fell the group came across a hot spring that wasn't too far from a village. "Oh! A hot spring! How romantic!" Jakotsu exclaimed as she latched on to Inu Yasha. Inu Yasha's blood ran cold when he saw the look both Kagome and Sango were giving him. "I'll scout around to make sure there's no demons around!" Inu Yasha hastily coughed, "Come on Miroku!" he angrily sighed as he dragged the protesting monk away. "Aw! I don't even get the runner up prize." Jakotsu whined. "Let's just enjoy the quiet time." Kagome offered. Sango picked up a large rock on their way to the hot spring. "Just in case…" Sango said looking back at Miroku and Inu Yasha.
"I told you not to go back!" Inu Yasha warned as Miroku massaged a large lump on his head. "I thought I heard one of them scream, so excuse me for being concerned for their well being." Miroku huffed. "Gee, you didn't waste time getting out of there when Jakotsu tried to pull you in." Shippo snickered as he replayed the scene in his mind.
"This feels so good!" Kagome sighed as she sank deeper in to the warm water. "You said it!" Jakotsu agreed, "I found another!" Sango cheered as she placed a rock within reach as she got back in the water. After an hour of soaking the girls got out. 'Hmph! What does Inu Yasha see in her! She's way to scrawny!' Jakotsu thought as she looked Kagome over while she got dressed. "I guess we should let the boys have their turn." Kagome said, "Miroku would be better suited with a cold stream!" Sango growled as they left.
As Inu Yasha, Miroku and Shippo relaxed in the hot spring, the Tetsusaiga resonated again. "What's that noise?" Shippo wondered, Inu Yasha glanced at his sword. "Probably Sango with another rock!" Inu Yasha tormented trying to draw attention away from Tetsusaiga, Miroku ducked lower into the water. "Maybe it's Jakotsu!" Shippo joined in on the teasing as Miroku sank further into the water as he glared at the both of them, "That's not funny!" he snapped. As the three continued to relax, two girls from the nearby village approached the hot spring, ducking out of site upon seeing Inu Yasha. "He's returned already!" one of them squealed in excitement. "He has a most attractive friend with him as well!" the other girl commented, casting an amorous look on Miroku. The two girls quickly disrobed and joined them, instantly causing a commotion.
Rushing to investigate the ruckus thinking it was a demon attacking, the three girls were horrified to see what was before them. "MIROKU!" Sango shrieked as she struck him in the head with a huge boulder. "SIT!SIT!SIT!SIT!SIT!SIT!SIT!SIT!SIT!" Kagome roared as she deepened the hot spring with Inu Yasha. "Nobody bathes with my beloved Inu Yasha but me!" Jakotsu screamed as the two girls dodged her sword. "Wait! Who's Inu Yasha?" one of the girls stopped and questioned. "Who's Inu Yasha?" Jakotsu cried in disbelief as she reached into the hot spring and pulled out a stunned Inu Yasha. "HE is only the most handsome half demon I've ever laid eyes on!" Jakotsu cooed as she snuggled with the naked, semi conscious hanyou. The two girls looked closer at him, "Hey! That isn't him! It's a cheap fake! Let's go!" the girls said as they gathered their clothes and headed back to the village. "So it was just a misunderstanding?" Shippo wondered. "That's what I was trying to tell you!" Miroku moaned after Sango finished adding a few more lumps to his head. "You could have resisted more!" Sango growled getting off of him. "Let go of me!" Inu Yasha demanded as he tried to free himself from Jakotsu's embrace. 'They thought that Inu Yasha was someone else?' Kagome pondered as she looked down on the village.
"Come on! I said I was sorry!" Kagome pleaded seeing that Inu Yasha was still holding a grudge from last night. Inu Yasha refused to accept her apology much to Jakotsu's delight. "Is there anything you'd like to apologize for, Sango?" Miroku questioned, hoping she would repent her actions against him. She stopped and looked thoughtful for a moment, "Nope. Not a thing." She simply stated and continued on while Miroku gave a sigh of dismay.
As they walked through the village, all eyes were on Inu Yasha as the villagers whispered amongst themselves. "What's their problem?" Inu Yasha griped as he glared around at the people. "Let's split up and search for the jewel shard." Miroku suggested as he eyed a group of young, attractive village girls. "Good idea. Kagome and Inu Yasha can search around town, Jakotsu and Shippo can stock up on supplies while Miroku, Kirara and I will check out the farmers out in the fields." Sango quickly paired everyone off to Miroku's displeasure. "Hmmm…kinda puny for carrying supplies, I'd be much better paired off with Inu Yasha." Jakotsu noted looking down on Shippo as he gave a growl of disgust.
Kagome and Inu Yasha approached an old man and tried to question him on the whereabouts of the Shikon jewel shard only to have an axe bestowed upon Inu Yasha. "Ah! You've returned already! Could you please cut me some fire wood, Kenjiro?" the old man kindly asked. "Kenjiro's back?" a voice called from inside a small hut nearby. Both Inu Yasha and Kagome instantly recognized the girl from the night before. Her joyful look soon fell as she glared at the two. "That's not Kenjiro grandpa, it's that cheap fake I was telling you about." She reminded her grandfather. "Who cares? As long as he can chop firewood he's welcome to the family." The old man answered back. "I'm not a cheap fake! I'm not chopping firewood and I'm sure as hell not joining anyone's family! Now where's the damn jewel shard you old fart!" Inu Yasha bellowed as his temper shot up. "Inu Yasha! SIT BOY!" Kagome demanded, sending Inu Yasha to the ground in a heap. "Why'd ya do that for?" Inu Yasha whimpered as Kagome took over in the questioning.
"So who's this Kenjiro everyone's mistaking for Inu Yasha?" she asked as the four got settled around the table. "He's a hanyou like your friend here. He came here about over a year ago. We don't know where he came from but since his arrival he's been a blessing to this village." The old man told them. "I must say though there is a striking resemblance between him and you." The old man added, comparing the two mentally. "Your mind is playing tricks on you again grandpa!" his grand daughter stated. "Kenjiro is much more refined and handsome than this fraud." She noted glaring at Inu Yasha.
"Are you sensing anything?" Sango asked, as they trekked across the fields to reach the next group of farmers. "Hmmm?" Miroku answered back, paying more attention to Sango's posterior. "Okay! That does it! Get in front of me!" Sango demanded when she looked back in time to see Miroku's hand coming towards her.
"Well that about does it." Jakotsu concluded tossing the last item onto a buried Shippo. "Get this stuff off of me!" he screamed from under the mountain of supplies. "I thought you said you could handle it." Jakotsu said, reflecting on the fox demon's earlier claims as she lifted the goods off of him. Just as Shippo was about to counter, a villager could be heard screaming in terror.
"What's going on?" Kagome said as she and Inu Yasha rushed to the villagers aid. "A demon's attacking the farmers!" a terrified farmer that managed to escape replied. "Oh big deal!" Inu Yasha huffed as he headed out to the farm fields to take out the demon. "Stay here in case there's more than one. Get Jakotsu and Shiipo to help you." Inu Yasha firmly told the young girl. "Alright but be careful!" Kagome shouted after him as she rushed off to find the others.
Inu Yasha found Sango and Miroku back to back in a destroyed field. "Sango, Miroku! What happened?" he asked joining them. "A giant mole like demon came out of no where!" Miroku quickly filled him in while copping a feel from Sango. "This is hardly the place!" she scolded. "Well if you would kindly tell the appropriate place…" Miroku started but sensed something beneath them and quickly pulled Sango away. The demon emerged with Kirara still having her fangs embedded in the demon's neck. While the demon fought to shake off the demon cat, the trio surrounded the gargantuan beast. "Get out of the way!" Inu Yasha screamed at the cat, unable to get a clear shot at the youkai with her in the way. "Hiraiko!" Sango called as her weapon swept the huge creature off of its feet. Kirara released her grip on the creature and scooped up her owner and Miroku to leave Inu Yasha to finish off the demon. He drew the Tetsusaiga and prepared to deliver the finishing blow only to have his sword lose its power. "The Tetsusaiga! It transformed back!" Sango gasped as she and Miroku looked on in disbelief as the demon got up and was soon joined by three more mole demons. "Damn it!" Inu Yasha growled as he was now surrounded.
A spirit arrow quickly scattered the four mole demons as Jakotsu, Shippo and Kagome showed up to help out. "Why isn't Inu Yasha using the Tetsusaiga?" she questioned as she watched him take on the demons hand to hand. "We don't know." Sango replied as she, Miroku and Kirara joined them. "No good standing here." Jakotsu told them as she ran to help Inu Yasha. As they got ready to join the fight, two of the demons went underground and appeared in front of them. The three were caught off guard and were sent to the ground hard. "Kagome!" Inu Yasha screamed as he rushed to get to her but was cut off by the other demons.
"KAZE NO KIZU!"
As the demon's claws were about to come down on her, a powerful wave of energy tore the two mole demons to pieces. 'Where did that come from!' Kagome wondered, then looked to Inu Yasha who was still fighting bare handed. 'If it wasn't Inu Yasha?'